Old Monterey District Blog

Johnny Wicks Candle Studio's founder, Johnny Foster, is holding a School Supply Drive for local foster kids through August 10, 2024. All donations will go directly to children who need them, ensuring they have the tools and confidence to start the school year off right.

School Supplies Needed

We are now seeking donations of: backpacks, notebooks, pencils, pens, markers, crayons, binders, folders, new clothing (all sizes), shoes and socks, personal hygiene products, and lunch pails. Or you can make a financial donation here.

Donation Drop-Off

Donations can be dropped off 12pm-5pm daily through August 10 at Johnny Wicks Candle Studio, 499 Calle Principal, Suite H in Downtown Old Monterey. For more information, please visit the webpage for our Foster's Fosters project or call Johnny Foster at 831-224-0269.

Spa on the Plaza, located at 201 Alvarado Street, is offering summer specials including a Brightening Facial (60 min., $170) and a Spa Renewal Massage (80 min., $195). To learn more and make an appointment, please phone us at 831-647-9000.

Summer Specials 2024

Brightening Facial
$170 for 60 minutes
This anti-aging brightening facial is designed to revitalize, hydrate, and repair your skin. The products we use are packed with antioxidants to prevent aging and protect your skin barrier, leaving you with a beautiful, healthy glow.

Spa Renewal Massage
$195 for 80 minutes
The luxurious package includes an aromatherapy massage with back treatment that gives your back a deep cleanse and glow. Invigorating scents will leave you feeling grounded and relaxed.

High Scores Arcade has Laserdisc games on the floor ready to play at 459 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey!

What's a Laserdisc Game?

A Laserdisc game is basically an interactive movie. These games are pretty challenging because you have to execute perfect timing to move the story forward. The buttons on the control panel are simple, it's the timing that makes them complex.

Laserdisc Games at High Scores Arcade

At High Scores Arcade, we have an instruction card on top of each Laserdisc game to help you better understand how to play it. And our pricing allows you to play an unlimited number of games within a given amount of time, so you can improve your skills with repeated tries.

Hours & Pricing

Price is $10 for 1 hour of unlimited gaming, or $22 for a full day of unlimited gaming with in-and-out privileges. Summer hours are Sun-Thu, 12:30pm-10pm, and Fri-Sat, 12:30pm-11pm.

About High Scores Arcade

We're a family-owned business focused primarily on the golden age of arcade gaming, mostly featuring games from the early to mid 1980s. Our collection of classic arcade games is much bigger than our physical arcade; of 170+ games, we feature apx. 40 on the floor at any one time. If you're itching to play one particular title, give us a call to see if it's currently being showcased, 609-468-3083.

Haute Beauty Guide Skin Care Studio has introduced our latest service - Hydrafacial Keravive scalp treatment. This treatment is designed to target dry scalp, oiliness, and clogged follicles, leaving your scalp feeling rejuvenated and healthy.

About Hydrafacial Keravive Treatment

This is a three step treatment which deeply exfoliates the scalp and applies nourishing serums. It stimulates the scalp, exfoliates to remove dead skin, dirt, and buildup; and promotes a healthy hair growing environment. Even better, there's no discomfort or downtime.

Appointments

Book your appointment today to experience the ultimate scalp pampering with esthetician Doran at the Haute Beauty Guide Skin Care Studio, 71 Pearl Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and Mercedes-Benz have chosen Monterey County Youth Museum as one of the local nonprofit organizations to benefit from their annual car drawing. The winner of the drawing will receive a beautiful new Compact Luxury Mercedes-Benz SUV GLA 250 (MSRP $46,150).

MY Museum has been given 1,500 tickets to sell for $100 per ticket. All funds raised will be used for MY Museum's educational programs and will provide subsidized museum visits for schools and families in challenging circumstances.

The drawing will be held on August 18, 2024 at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance (you need not to be present to win). Tickets can be purchased in person at MY Museum, over the phone at 831-649-6444, or by reserving tickets online - we will call you for payment. Once payment is made we will mail you your tickets and receipt.

Help us bring joy and learning through play to children! Be assured that every time someone buys a ticket (or two or three) for the car drawing, MY Museum staff do the happy dance in the office.

Please note: winner of the car will be responsible for all applicable taxes, licensing, and transfer fees. Delivery is limited to within the USA only.

Big news, Monterey food lovers! Nacho Bizness, located at 470 Alvarado Street in Monterey, has changed ownership.

After 8 years of very hard work, the brilliant duo behind the creation of all your favorite Nacho Bizness recipes, Steb Montez and Brittani Reid, have made the decision to sell the restaurant to another very hard-working, talented team, the Manasiri family. Does the name sound familiar? It's the same friendly family that's been serving up fantastic, mouth-watering dishes at Manasiri's Crepes and Sandwiches down at 321 Alvarado Street for years.

You'll find that Nacho Bizness still has the same delicious menu and fun atmosphere. Come on down and show the new owners some love! It won't be hard to do once you take a bite of the nachos...or the burritos...or the mac and cheese...

Nacho Bizness is now open Sun-Thu, 11am-9pm, and Fri-Sat, 11am-10pm.

Luminata Books and Gifts now carries high-quality, raw, unfiltered wildflower honey from Big Sur Honey Co. Come find it at our shop, located at 631 Cass Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

About the Honey

Sourced from hives located on the south coast of Big Sur, the honey retains natural enzymes, pollen, and antioxidants, offering a distinct taste reflective of the area's diverse flora, including wildflowers, sage, and eucalyptus.

About Big Sur Honey Co.

Big Sur Honey Co, a small family business, practices sustainable beekeeping, avoiding chemicals and pesticides to protect both bees and the environment. All the hives originated from feral Big Sur stock, collected over time from rock crevices, oak knotholes, and farmhouse attics.

Venture Gallery presents the paintings of Dorothy Stonely, our featured local artist for July. In her latest exhibit, A Painted Symphony, her vibrant abstract work revels in the joy of bright colors.

Dorothy has fond memories of her first box of crayons. “The colors were so exciting!” she says. “My young mind reasoned that if I broke them all in half there would be even more color.” At the age of eighteen, Dorothy moved from a traditional New England environment to the California Coast, where she felt the freedom to create non-traditional art in a supportive setting.

Venture Gallery is open 10am-6pm daily. Dorothy Stonely's artwork will be featured through July 2024. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.

There's no place like NOT home! At The Pearl Works coworking space, we know that sometimes you just need to get out of the play zone and into work mode. We have shared and private spaces designed for you to have a peaceful and productive work day.

Join The Pearl Works as a full time member in June or July 2024 and receive 15% off your first three months. Savings start at $112! Make an appointment for a tour. We're located at 288 Pearl Street in Downtown Old Monterey

About The Pearl Works

The Pearl Works offers community coworking with purpose; we serve remote professionals, entrepreneurs, and students with our flexible workspace options. We have dedicated desks, work spaces at open tables and in lounge areas, a limited number of private offices, conference rooms to rent, and virtual mail services that give you a professional business address in Old Monterey.

Cha-Ya Monterey Teahouse Boutique, reopened in March under owner Ariel Wolansky, has a new tea menu! We invite you to try our collection of Japanese, Chinese, and herbal teas at 118 Webster Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Cha-Ya is a retail store offering fine teas, elegant tea pots and tea cups, artisan chocolate, and home decor. We are also a tea shop serving tea here and to-go and conducting tea ceremonies. We're open Tue-Thu, 11am-3pm, and Fri-Sat, 11am-4pm.

Ad Astra Bread Co has a fresh menu of summer sandwiches in the shop! Our new veggie sandwich boasts roasted miso eggplant, Napa cabbage slaw, pickled Japanese cucumbers, ponzu tahini dressing, and a fresh herb salad on a demi-baguette.

We're also offering mortadella, chicken caesar, nicoise, and smoked salmon sandwiches for lunch. And don't miss our breakfast sandwich, only available 7am-11am.

Ad Astra, located at 479 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey, is open daily, 7am-4pm.

Summer is here! Manasiri's Crepes and Sandwiches has a booth at the Old Monterey Farmers Market on Tuesdays just outside our cafe, and we're having a lot of fun with our chocolate fountain. Come get a cup of chocolate covered strawberries - it's the perfect dessert to enjoy as you're browsing the market.

Also at the market, we're offering crepes fettuccine-style, sliced into ribbons and served with your favorite crepe toppings in a take-out container. Try it and see what our viral Instagram post was all about!

A family-owned business, Manasiri's Crepes and Sandwiches is located at 321 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Franklin Street Collaborative is now offering permanent jewelry by appointment in our store at 201 W. Franklin Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

With Bonded Monterey permanent jewelry newly located in the shop, we're offering a range of bracelets, anklets, necklaces, rings, hand chains, hat chains, and more. Book your in-store appointment today by calling us at 831-920-2611. Private and corporate parties are available.